How Long?
by eClair23
Summary: Newt and Tina spend a moment in the case clearing up their misunderstanding after "Crimes of Grindelwald".


Tina watched Newt quietly from the doorway of the shed. He gently pet Dougal on the head, stroking the mooncalves as he passed by them. He obliged when Dougal sought out his hand, allowing the apelike creature to follow him as he continued his rounds.

She couldn't help smiling at the tenderness he showed with his animals. In his case, he was so different from when he was outside. His animals brought out a side of him that was confident and truly comfortable, and it was a beautiful thing to witness. Around other humans, Newt tended to struggle, but here he was completely himself.

As they rounded the corner toward the shed, Dougal's eyes locked with Tina's.

Newt looked up with a start, releasing Dougal's hand and stuttering. "Tina. How long have you been standing there?"

Tina shuffled her feet. "Not long." Dougal let go of Newt's hand and went to settle himself next to the occamy nest for the night.

"What-erm, what were you doing?"

"I came down to check on you." She eyed him, concerned.

"Oh."

"I brought you some tea. I hope I made it right; I'm more of a coffee drinker, myself, but I thought maybe you could use some company?" Her voice was hopeful.

He nodded, accepting the cup of tea from her gratefully. When he spoke, he spoke quietly. "How are you doing, Tina?"

She sipped her tea, pondering, then sighed heavily. "I'm… okay, I think. Tired of crying."

He looked her in the eyes for the first time since she'd come down. Her eyes were tired and rimmed with red, but she offered him a half-hearted smile.

"How are _you_ , Newt?"

His eyes widened. "Me?"

She nodded, her eyes searching his. "All this can't have been easy for you. Leta was a big part of your life. It's okay to grieve, you know."

"She was my brother's fiancée, not mine."

"That doesn't mean you didn't care about her. She was your friend, Newt. It's okay."

He felt his eyes mist over and wiped them hastily with his sleeve. "I'm alright, Tina."

"Can I hug you?"

Newt startled. "I'm sorry?"

"I was wondering if it might help you feel better. It's okay, we can just talk, too. I just know sometimes that helps me." Her voice was tentative now.

She was straying into uncharted territory, opening herself up for rejection. She was scared, but he needed her, and he needed comfort, no matter how vehemently he was denying it.

"I see. Yes, that might be helpful. Alright, yes."

Tina gently wound her arms around Newt, pulling him close in a hug. He stiffened slightly at first, but eventually snaked his arms around her in return. She was shocked when his shoulders started to shake as he finally broke down and wept, clutching the back of her shirt.

"Leta. Before she… before she died, she looked at me and Theseus, and she, um… she said something I believe was addressed to me." Tina nodded against his shoulder as he continued between heaving breaths. "How am I supposed to shoulder that? She didn't say it to Theseus, it was me." He paused, then spoke quietly, like a child. "How do I fix all this?"

She ran her hands through his hair, smoothing it in what she hoped was a calming motion. "I don't know if you can." She replied honestly. "But Newt, you are in no way responsible for anything that Leta said, okay? That was her decision, not yours. It's not your fault."

His breath hitched. "I shouldn't be this upset. I shouldn't be upset at all. She broke my heart. So why does this hurt so much?" His sobs redoubled and she held him closer.

"Because you loved her, Newt. It's okay to be hurting, no matter what she did to you. You loved her, and you lost her, and that hurts."

She smoothed her hand up and down his back in firm, reassuring strokes.

"It's okay, Newt." She tried to say, "Everything's going to be okay", but the words stuck in her throat and she started crying, too. There was no guarantee that everything would be okay. She couldn't bear that thought.

Newt pulled away. "You're crying. I did it wrong, didn't I? I messed the whole thing up, I'm sorry…"

Tina sniffled. "No, Newt. You didn't do anything wrong. I'm still sad about Queenie, is all. But I think that helped, a little."

He nodded shyly. "For me, as well."

She smiled, ever so slightly.

"Thank you, Tina." _Queenie was right. I do need a giver._

"Of course." _Tina gives away kindness like it costs her nothing._

He stared at her, his eyes still shimmering. _I think I love her._

"Would you like to help?" He blurted.

"Hm?"

"W-With the creatures. I was just settling them down for the night."

"Ah, Newt, I don't know how. I don't want to mess it up."

"I can teach you, if you'd like."

She blushed. "I would love that."

"You know, they took quite a liking to you in New York. They were, erm, _displeased_ when I explained to them that we had to go back to London. Pickett missed you especially."

"I missed them, too."

" _I_ missed you, as well. It wasn't just Pickett."

She laughed lightly. "I've missed you too." She took his hand briefly and gave it a squeeze.

As she followed him through the case in companionable silence, he watched her, fascinated. She spoke to the creatures softly and her touch was light. Dougal, in particular, took a liking to her, climbing out of his nest to explore the case at her side. She startled a little when he reached out to take her hand, but she accepted and gave him a smile. Newt beamed. She was clumsy here. She was out of her element, but somehow she fitted in perfectly in his case, _with him_ , as if she had always been there.

"Tina-" He broke into the silence.

"Yes?"

"After we're done here, do you think we could… do you think we could talk? Just for a moment?"

Her expression fell. He probably wanted to talk about why he'd stopped writing, which she could only imagine was due to him realizing he had no feelings for her beyond friendship. "Sure."

When the creatures were all settled for the night, Newt and Tina settled on the porch of Newt's shed. He reheated their tea with a quick warming spell.

Tina kept her eyes fixed on the rim of her teacup. "So, what'd you want to talk about?"

"I was hoping to, um, to clear up some miscommunication. Between us, I mean."

"Oh."

"That article you read… they got it completely wrong. Theseus is engaged to Leta. Not me. And I know I already explained that bit, but I wanted to make it absolutely clear. I am not, and have never been, engaged to Leta Lestrange or to anyone else."

"I'm sorry, Newt. I shouldn't have assumed. I shouldn't have stopped writing." She regretfully traced the rim of her teacup.

"I didn't stop writing you."

"What?"

"After you stopped writing me. I kept writing. But I suppose I sort of lost the nerve to send the letters. I assumed you didn't want to continue our correspondence."

"Ah, Newt. I'm so sorry."

He sought out her eyes, but they remained fixed on her tea. "As am I. This has all been a huge mess. We rather buggered things up, didn't we?" He looked at her cautiously, subdued.

She gave a small chuckle, finally meeting his eyes. "I guess we did."

"Could we- that is, would you mind terribly, if we were to try this again?"

"You mean like start over?"

"I suppose."

"Then yes, I would mind."

He jolted so hard he nearly spilled his tea. "I'm sorry?" He hastily righted his teacup on the saucer and settled it back onto his lap.

"I don't want to start over. I liked where we were getting before… before I stopped writing."

"As did I."

"Can we just start there, then?"

He nodded.

"Newt, I- I don't know what Queenie told you, but this guy I've been seeing… it's not serious. We talked for a bit at a MACUSA event about a month ago and met up for coffee once after that. He didn't ask me again. Queenie didn't know yet, with us not talking and all. I just want you to know that."

Hope creeped back into his heart, suddenly emboldening him. "Tina, would it be alright if I… forgive me if I'm overstepping my bounds, but may I kiss you?"

Her eyes widened, but she nodded faintly.

He found her cheek with his hand and brushed his lips against hers ever so lightly. She pulled him closer, deepening the kiss, then pulled away when they both needed to breathe.

"Miss Goldstein?"

"Yes?"

"I should very much like to court you."

"I'd like that. Very much." She grinned, kissing him again. He grinned back.


End file.
